Gripping mechanism for feeding metal strips, &amp;c.



Pa tente d May 6, 1902.

W. FEHR.

GRIPPING MECHANISM FOR FEEDING METAL STRIPS, &c.

(Application filed Dec. 20. 1901:

2 Shpets-Sheet L1 (N0 MudeL) No. 699,508. Patented May 6, I902.

- W. FEHR.

GRIPPING MECHANISM FOR FEEDING METAL STRIPS, 81.0.

(Application filed Dec. 20, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WILLIAM FEIIR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO STEEL HEDDLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

GRI PPlNG MECHANISM FOR FEEDING METAL STRIPS, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,508, dated May 6, 1902.

I Application filed December 20,1901. Serial No. 86,635. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FEHR, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gripping Mechanism for Feeding. Metal Strips and the Like, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention has relation to a mechanism for gripping and positively feeding metallic strips, rods, &c., through a machine adapted to manipulate the strip in the desired manner; and in such connection it relates to the I 5 general construction and arrangement of such a mechanism.

Heretofore it has been the custom in feeding strips, bars, or rods of metal through a machine to employ means which push or feed the rod toward the point of manipulation. Such feeding mechanisms are defective, for if the article is pushed forward any accidental blocking of the travel of the article results in the buckling or bending of the strip and the c 5 production of strips of metal of varying lengths. Again, where the whole strip or bar was to be severed into successive portions of predetermined lengths and thestrip was fed forward by rollers it was difficult to accurately gage or limit the feed of the strip.

The principal objects of my present invention are, first, to provide a gripping and feeding means for heddle-making and other machines which is adapted to grip the metal 135 strip or rod to be fed either just before the mechanism completes its movement in one direction or at the moment when such movement is completed, and, second, to provide a combined gripping and feeding means which 0 is adapted not only to grip the metal strip or rod just before or at the moment of completion of the movement in one direction of said means, but also to release the metal strip or rod from said gripping and feeding means just beforeor at the moment of completion of the said movement in the opposite direction of the'said means.

The nature and scope of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which- V Figure l is a side elevational View of a grip ping and feeding mechanism for metal strips embodying main features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same. Fig.

3 is a side elevational View, enlarged, illustrating the gripping mechanism with the front plate broken away and with the jaws in closed position. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating the feeding-jaws in open position. Fig. 5 is a top or plan view of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, A represents a part of the machine through which the strip B is to be drawn after certain manipulations. The part A of the machine which is represented in the drawings is that wherein the shearing or cutting ofi of the strip B is accomplished. Adjacent to and in front of the shears B extends a guide-rail a, on which is adapted to reciprocate a gripping mechanism D of a construction to be hereinafter more fully explained. The mechanism -D is inclosed in a case D, which slides back and forth on the rail or, being moved by a rod or shaft a, which in turn is reciprocated by the oscillating or rocking arm o The forward movement of the case D" toward the machine A is limited by a stop a located on the rail a near the machine A, and the rearward movement of the case D is likewise limited by a stop a on the rail a. These stops (1 and a not only act as a gage to limit the movement of the gripping mechanism, and hence the length of the strip B drawn out of the machine A, but also serve an additional function in controlling the grippingmechanism, as hereinafter explained. 0

Referringnow to Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, the preferred arrangement and construction of the gripping mechanism D is as follows: Within the case D and near its forward end are pivoted the two gripping-jaws b, the forward ends ofwhich project slightly beyond the forward end of the case D. of each jaw b is slotted, as at b, to receive the cross-pintles 11 each pintle being formed at one end of a link or toggle Z7 the said toggles 1C0 Therear end I or links 19 also having at their other or inner ends the cross-pintles b oscillating in the notches or recesses 6 formed in the head d of the rod or shaft a. The jaws b are pivoted at points 17 near to the forward or gripping portions of the jaws, and the rear ends of the jaws b are normally pressed inward toward each other by the springs 17 or by any suitable mechanism. When the links or toggles b occupy a position substantially at right angles to the head 01 of the shaft or rod to, as illustrated in Fig. 3, then the rear ends of the jaws b are thrown outward by the links or toggles b against the inward pressure of the springs b and the forward or gripping ends of the jaws b are tightly clamped together. When, however, the links or toggles 11 0ccupy an inclined position to the head 11, as illustrated in Fig. 4, then the rear ends of the jaws b are thrown inward by the springs b and the gripping ends of the jaws b are separated. To control the position of the toggles orlinks b and consequently to control the opening and closing of the gripping ends of the jaws b, it is necessary that the head d of the shaft or rod 01, shall have a movement within the case D irrespective or independent of any movement of the case D. As hereinbefore explained, at the forward end of its movement the case D abuts against a stop a and in its rearward movement the case also abuts against the stop a At each of these points the shaft or rod on has not completed its stroke or movement, but continues for a slight distance forward or back ward after the case D has ceased to move. This additional movement of the shaft or rod 0. is transmitted to its head d within the case D, and hence the necessary movement of the toggles or links 6 is secured. To prevent accidental movement of the head (1 within the case D, as well as to lock the head at to the case during the entire movement of the case D, there are provided at the side of the case D two spring-controlled pins 6 and 6, each of which traverses the case and hasa beveled bearing end e The head (1 is provided on its side with two grooves d and 01 the forward one, cl, of which is adapted to be engaged by the beveled end '6 of the forward pin 6 during the entire rearward movement of the case D, while the other groove 61 is adapted to be engaged by the other pin 6 during the entire forward movement of the case D. When this case D abuts against the stop a the head 01 is shifted so that the pin 6' comes out of engagement with the groove 01 and the other groove d is shifted into engagement with the other pin e, while when the case D strikes the stop a then the head at is shifted so that the pin eis thrown out of the groove cl and the pin e is thrown into engagement with the groove 61 It will thus be seen that during the movement of the case D towardthe machine A the position of the parts within the case D remains as illustrated in Fig. 4 until the case D stops by abutting against the stop a Themovement forward of the head d of the shaft 0, within the case Dnow causes the parts to occupy the position illustrated in Fig. 3. The parts are locked in this position during the entire return movement of the case D, which at, the end of its movement abuts against the stop a andthen the head (1 of the shaft a continues to move backward within the case D to move the parts within the case again to the position as illustrated in Fig. 4. It will be readily understood that there is a positive movement to the jawsb only after the case D has reached the limit of either its forward or rearward movement, and as the jaws b are clamped to the strip B during the entire movement of the case D the length of the successive strips dragged out of the machine by the case D will always-remain the same so long as the stops a and or remain fixed.

As hereinbefore explained, the strip B is gripped by the feeding mechanism D either just before the mechanism completes its movement in one direction or at the moment of completion of said movement, and the strip is also released from said feeding mechanism just before or at the moment of completion of the movement of said mechanism in an opposite direction. In this manner a greater speed in the feeding of the strip in the machine is insured, and the strip will be fed al ways a uniform distance, thereby preventing the formation of strips of varying lengths and the avoidance of slow speed in the feeding by the machine.

The cutters or shears of the machine Aare constructed and operated so that at the mo ment when the case D strikes the rear stop a the strip is cut. The further movement of the head at of the shaft arearward now opens the jaws Z1, and the strip cut off is dropped from the gripping mechanism D and may be removed from the machine in any suitable manner.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new,

and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mechanism of the character described, a case having a limited range of reciprocatory movement, a gripping and feed ing mechanism carried by said case, mechan= ism for reciprocating the case, means for limiting the movement of the case independently of the full movement of the reciproca tory mechanism, and means controlled by the reciprocatory mechanism during its move ment independent of the case arranged to operate the gripping and feeding mechanism only during said independent movement.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, a case, a rail or guide whereon the case is arranged to reciprocate, twojaws pivoted within the case, a shaft, a head formed on said shaft and extending within the case, means for locking the head to the case during either movement of the case, means for shifting the head in the case at the end of rod head with the gripping-jaws, said toggles or links adapted as the head is shifted in one direction to close the jaws against the tension of the springs.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM FEHR.

Witnesses:

J. WALTER DOUGLASS, THOMAS M. SMITH. 

